Alcohol use patterns around the legal drinking age in young adults
Official title: Alcohol consumption, contexts, and consequences across the transition to legal drinking: A longitudinal EMA burst design
Funded at University of Missouri-Columbia · NIH-11416601 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows 20-year-olds as they approach and reach legal drinking age to learn how drinking contexts and consequences change over time.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Missouri-Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $693,309 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA032504-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11416601 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Young adults around age 21 who are residents of Missouri rural or small metro areas and who have not yet reached 21 at study entry.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who are not in the target age group or who do not drink may have little to gain from this study.
What this research studies
Researchers will recruit a population-based sample of 20-year-olds in Missouri and track them with five two-week bursts of daily diary data for a year, starting before and after turning 21. Participants will report on their drinking, contexts, and consequences, while also using smartphone breathalyzers and sensors to collect objective data. The goal is to understand how the transition to legal drinking alters drinking behavior and its risks in real life. This is done with a long-term plan to map patterns in natural settings, not in a lab.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could inform tailored prevention and intervention strategies for young adults during the critical transition to legal drinking.
How similar studies have gone: Past studies using EMA in young adults have shown valuable insights into real-world drinking contexts, with ongoing research refining methods and findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Trull, Timothy J — University of Missouri-Columbia
- Study coordinator: Trull, Timothy J
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.